If one were to ask what woman suited Judas Spade's tastes, the closest answer would probably be someone like Riveria Ljos Alf.
Despite being surrounded by undeniable beauties... Ais, Alise, Kaguya, Ryuu, Alfia, and even Belle... none of them ever made his heart skip a beat.
Maybe it was Estelon's influence, maybe it was just him being weird, but his pulse remained perfectly calm.
Not that Riveria made his heart flutter either... but he could at least acknowledge that a woman like her was definitely his type.
Mature, composed, elegant... she checked every box.
Ryuu came in as a close second... serious, disciplined, and quietly elegant.
Only in the presence of Alise and the others that she become a flustered mess.
'Is it because of Alden?'
Judas wondered.
That guy definitely had a weakness for serious, mature elven women.
Looking back at all the anime Alden watched, most of his waifus were either refined older women... or female elves.
'Ugh... why am I thinking about useless things again?'
Judas shook his head, forcefully shoving away the irrelevant thoughts.
His gaze swept the room.
Right now, he was very much the center of attention... or more accurately, the subject of curiosity... for a gathering of female elves.
The moment he entered, their eyes drifted toward him with subtle, polite interest.
If it were Alden in his position, he'd probably be foaming at the mouth in excitement.
'Ero-elf! Ero-elf! They're everywhere!'
That voice... Alden's unmistakable inner gremlin... echoed in Judas' head, making him sigh internally.
"Judas, it's nice of you to join us. Come, take a seat."
Riveria's calm voice drew him back to reality.
She gestured to an empty chair near the front, arranged beside a long table covered with open manuscripts.
Judas nodded and stepped forward, Alicia quietly following him with the poise of someone used to the structure of this place.
The elven gazes that trailed him were discreet in posture, but not in intensity.
If he were the shy type, this would have been torture.
Judas pulled out the chair and sat down. Alicia slipped into the seat behind him.
"Ah—"
A small gasp came from his right.
Judas turned and found Lefiya, stiff as a newly carved statue, staring at him with wide, startled eyes.
They blinked at each other.
"...Is there a problem?"
Judas asked, brow raised slightly.
He wasn't oblivious.
Elves were proud by nature... and having a human sit among them during such a session was bound to stir some thoughts.
Probably not hostility... after all, everyone here knew he held first-class combat strength after his duel with Ais.
No one would openly complain.
But feelings weren't always shown on the surface.
There was always that cliché in stories: a newcomer joins a group, and at least one person hates him for no reason, forcing him through a gauntlet of trials to "prove himself."
Real life wasn't so dramatic, but still... elves were elves.
"N-No, nothing like that," Lefiya said hurriedly.
"I was just... surprised, that's all."
She muttered quickly before turning back to her book.
Or at least, pretending to.
Her eyes weren't moving, and the page hadn't turned for a full minute.
Judas leaned back in his chair.
He didn't know what Lefiya thought of him, but he wasn't the type to worry about other people's opinions.
Either way, the atmosphere in the room had shifted because of his presence.
The elves were watching him.
Riveria was evaluating him.
Lefiya was pretending not to look at him every three seconds.
And Judas... well, he was acutely aware that he was now sitting inside the heart of the Fairy Force.
Riveria clapped her hands once, producing a sharp sound that immediately drew the room's attention.
"Right, everyone, listen up. As I mentioned earlier, we will be joined by our newest recruit... Judas Spade."
Her gaze swept over the gathered elves before settling on the black-haired boy.
"Eh? Miss Riveria said something like that?"
Lefiya blurted out, mouth slightly open.
Riveria let out a sigh.
"Well, if you had actually listened and paid attention, you might've known."
Her smile was polite, but the strain behind it was obvious.
Judging from the lack of surprise on anyone else's face when Judas arrived, Lefiya truly was the only one who hadn't gotten the memo.
A few giggles bubbled up from the desks, causing Lefiya's ears... and cheeks... to turn bright red.
"Anyway," Riveria continued,
"I'm sure everyone here is aware of Judas' prowess as a mage. That is why I brought him here."
She folded her hands behind her back.
"If anyone has objections, you may speak now."
A brief silence followed.
To Judas' surprise, not a single voice rose.
From the beginning... aside from Bete and a handful of skeptical members... most of the Loki Familia viewed him favorably.
His overwhelming strength certainly played a part, but what truly won them over was his demeanor...
Polite, reserved, and humble despite possessing first-class combat ability.
To them, Judas was a once-in-a-generation prodigy.
A Level 2 capable of holding his own against a Level 5... what else were they supposed to think?
His mere presence boosted the familia's overall combat power.
And that was something every member appreciated.
The female elves here felt the same, but they also had another layer of interest: curiosity.
'Instantaneous casting... multi-casting... a vast repertoire of spells... What's his secret? How did he train to reach this level?'
That was the collective thought radiating through the room.
Even Lefiya was included... which was evident from the way her gaze never left his face.
In fact, although they would never admit it, in their minds, Judas was a mage who was already on par with their High-Elf Princess, Riveria.
The only aspect he is weak compared to her at the moment was pure firepower.
Being able to receive the input and wisdom of such a figure was something they all acknowledged as a huge opportunity.
Of course, when it came to a real fight, none of them truly believed Riveria would lose to him.
"Alright, since no one has any objections, let's begin."
Riveria said, nodding with satisfaction.
She paused, her expression softening as she turned toward Judas.
"But first, I'd like to thank Judas for accepting my request."
Her voice carried genuine respect... something Judas didn't take lightly.
He nodded in return and opened his mouth.
"No problem. Just ask any questions you have, and I'll answer as best as I can."
The moment he said that, the elves collectively leaned forward ever so slightly.
From their eager, sharpened gazes alone, Judas could tell these weren't just warriors... they were scholars.
'Well, not surprising.'
Judas mused.
'They're all mages. Curiosity is practically their lifeblood.'
However, he was well aware that the majority of his knowledge of magic came from Estelon's world.
The operations of the two worlds' magic systems are different.
Trying to explain his techniques to them might be like trying to describe color to someone who had only ever seen in black and white.
It wasn't hopeless... but it would be challenging.
'This might not turn out as productive as Riveria hoped.'
Judas thought.
'But there's no harm in trying.'
After all, Riveria had asked politely... and sincerely.
And Judas wasn't the type to refuse someone who approached him with genuine curiosity and respect.
There was also the fact that Judas was genuinely curious about how Riveria's lessons usually went.
But now came the difficult part.
How much should he reveal?
How far should he go?
'Should I... teach them about the mana-core method?'
The thought had been shaking around in his mind ever since the Loki Familia returned.
The mana-core method was foundational in Celestia... efficient, powerful, and transformative.
But here?
It could change everything.
It could reshape Danmachi's magical landscape.
Or it could create problems he hadn't foreseen.
'Well... let's see.'
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